Blood Siblings
by Kdibs227
Summary: AU. When the Doom Patrol stumbles on two kids during a mission to locate the Brotherhood of Evil, they didn't expect to end up adopting the two strays. They also couldn't have predicted how that decision would change everything.
1. Final Exam

Author's Note: This is an AU! So, things are gonna be a bit different and possibly out of order. But, if you have questions or thoughts, leave a comment :) So, read and review!

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Cliff could tell the second that Steve come over the comm unit that the plan had changed. They were in the process of heading back to the jet after a mission. As usual, they maintained silence. Larry was keeping pace with him, looking at all the abandoned buildings and trash. The brotherhood had missed them, again, and Cliff was preparing himself for another week of Steve being a complete ass.

"Get to our position now!" Steve didn't yell like that. He never did. There was a new sense of urgency in there, and it only concerned him more when he could hear Steve telling Rita not to go closer right now. The two men broke out into a run, and in less than a minute, though it felt longer, they rounded a corner and caught sight of the two other members. Steve was at the mouth of a crumpled home, Rita closer to where the door would be, crouched down and speaking softly.

"What's going on? Was there a survivor?" It didn't happen often, the Brotherhood hated leaving witnesses and possible loose ends. It had been months since they actually saved anyone. The whole superhero business could be depressing at times.

"Not exactly." Mento didn't take his eyes off of where Rita was. "Cliff, how much medical supplies do we have on the jet."

"Two packs, but nothing for anything serious. There wasn't time to restock at the manor before we left." They had gone in a rush after Chief managed to get a hit on the Brotherhood. That had been almost a week ago.

"Shit, ok, it'll have to do. We just need to get them out of here." Larry frowned.

"How many are there?" Steve glanced at them.

"Two. This…it's not related to the Brotherhood. It's something else."

Cliff glanced around uneasily at that. There wasn't anyone around for miles, and Larry didn't like to think of two survivors trying to keep out of sight. Steve looked haunted. That alone made him unnerved. Steve didn't get spooked like this, he could block out his emotions on missions. Cliff started to make his way towards Rita, and he stopped jerkily when she motioned with her hand to stay where he was. Larry wanted to know what they were dealing with. There was a city almost twenty miles away; they could help patch them up and get them over there.

"Are they not used to mutants? Maybe we should go and bring the jet here." Cliff suggested. Steve shook his head.

"They're just kids. Rita doesn't want to overwhelm them by having all of us crowd them." Larry's stomach dropped. It was always the worst when children were involved.

"God, are their parent's dead?" Steve shook his head.

"Larry… these kids aren't from here. And the building they were in…" Steve trailed off and Cliff reached a hand out to knock his shoulder. Rita still hadn't come back over.

"What was it?" Larry finally asked.

"It was a lab. One of those labs. I… I think that was why the Brotherhood was here." A cold feeling settled over the bandaged man. There had been rumors of illegal labs popping up, usually trying to invent new soldiers. The Brotherhood, of course, was interested if it meant they could elevate their ranks. But to think that they had been using children…

"How old?" Steve crossed his arms.

"Maybe six or seven. One of them talks, the other hasn't said a word." Cliff looked at Rita.

"You think they could be mute? Could be shock, too." Larry knew they were avoiding the obvious question.

"Steve, are they mutants? Is that why the Brotherhood was here?" The silence after that statement gave a pretty clear answer. "We can't just drop them off at the next city. They were smart enough to stay out of sight, but if we leave them alone, who knows what might happen to them."

"You suggesting we look after them? We can't take a bunch of kids with us!" Cliff yelled. Steve shushed him as he glanced over at the destroyed house. Rita was closer now, but Larry had yet to see the kids appear. They were probably too scared.

"Ya, I am. We can't leave them with other people. Who knows if the Brotherhood will come back for them. We're their best chance. So, we can take them from here, get them patched up, and hey, maybe we just added a few new recruits." Cliff was gaping at him. Steve said nothing. "It's not a good plan, but it's better than doing nothing. We can't just leave them on their own after fixing them." The kids probably didn't have anyone else to look after them. Did anyone know two little kids were missing? Probably not. Larry waited for a response.

"Why don't we start with getting them out of here. We can debate what to do after we get them somewhere safe." It was the best answer he could get right now. Steve perked up when Rita stood up. Two kids were with her, well, more like hiding behind her. A boy and a girl. They didn't rush to meet them, knowing that any sudden movement would scare them. The little girl was covered in dirt and didn't seem to mind staring them all down. The boy didn't look at them and had a head of bright green hair.

"Rita?" Steve didn't move from his position. Cliff was aware that he was doing everything not to move too quickly. These kids were probably wary of them, with every right to be, and none of them knew what they could do. "Everything ok?" Ok, that was the stupidest thing to say.

"We need to get the jet. I don't want them here any longer." There was a coldness to Rita's voice, one Larry hadn't heard in a long time. "We can talk about this once we're on our way home." The girl perked up at the mention of leaving and her grip on the boy tightened. They had to walk to the jet and once they got there Cliff went about getting things ready. Larry stood off to the side, watching everything play out.

"Do you want to sit down?" Rita asked gently. The girl, who was openly looking at everything around her, nodded.

"Yes, please." Rita looked at the boy.

"You can sit with her, honey. It's not a long flight." The boy didn't talk but nodded his head.

"No straps. He doesn't like those." The girl mentioned. Rita tensed for a second before relaxing.

"That's fine. Cliff flies the jet very gently. You can't even feel it!" The forced cheer didn't work. She got the kids situated on two of wall seats before Mento came over.

"My name's Steve," And wow, Larry hadn't heard that soft tone of voice for years. "Can you tell me your names?" The girl bit her lip and glanced at Larry. He tried to offer her a reassuring smile.

"Terra. Mine's Terra." She squeezed the boy's hand. "This is Gar." Mento frowned.

"Buddy, it's ok. We aren't going to hurt you."

"He can't answer you." Terra whispered. "They took his voice, Mister Steve."

If there had been any doubt what had happened, there wasn't anymore. All the air seemed to have left the jet, and from the corner of his eye he could see Cliff tightly grasping one of the chairs. It was likely broken or on its way to becoming damaged. Just another thing to fix. But Steve, the fearless leader, recovered quickly. Right now, the kids had to be the focus. The adults could fall apart later on.

"What do you mean they took it?" Gar, for all his avoidance to them so far, moved his head up. The kid had some strong green eyes, for one, but all of them were drawn to the line across his neck. Right where his vocal chords were. Hot rage went through him. This was a child, and those bastards had snipped his voice. It wasn't fresh, but still in the stages of healing. Could something like that be reversed? Chief would know.

"Can you fix it?" Terra asked. Tears were building up behind her eyes, but the girl didn't let them fall. Probably afraid to show weakness around a bunch of strangers. "He got in trouble because of me." Gar shook his head at that. Whatever the circumstances were, these guys were gonna have a lot to answer for. And Larry was sick of kids being caught in the crossfire. "Please, Mister Steve, you can fix it, right?" Rita walked back over and crouched in front of Terra.

"We're gonna try, sweetie." The girl frowned at the nickname. Poor kid probably never had a pet name thrown at her. "Right now, let's get you and Gar out of here." Cliff managed to get the jet going, and Larry went to assist him. Steve and Rita had things safely under control at the moment.

"We really doing this?" Cliff's voice was gruff. Larry knew that he was holding back his emotions; something in the manor would be broken and repaired by the end of the night. The poor guy was probably hiding so he didn't scare the kids.

"Ya, right now we're their best shot. Maybe they have family looking for them. Rita said she was gonna have Chief run through the database and see if any hits come up." It was the best they could do. Who knew how long they had been held there.

"How're they holding up?" Larry sat down heavily.

"Right now, ok. Once we get back… I don't know. These kids have been through hell, Cliff, it's not gonna be easy. I thought Steve was going to lose it when the girl told us why the boy didn't talk." The pocket of anger hadn't subsided. Some of his bandages were beginning to tear. He'd repair them later.

"Who does that to a kid? I knew that the Brotherhood was evil, but this. This is something else." Larry shook his head.

"We don't know if it was the Brain that ordered this. Lots of people want to get their hands on a mutant."

There had been rumors of illegal labs popping up for years. Larry hoped they were just rumors, but not anymore. They turned their heads as Steve walked in and shut the tiny door. The silence was thick.

"They need a look over when we get back. Some of the injuries are new." The man looked drained. All of them felt that way. "They've been there for months." Larry felt sick. What would have happened if they hadn't found them? Would the Brotherhood have circled back and picked them up? "They're staying with us for now." He announced.

Larry wondered if they had anything suitable for a couple of kids back at the base. They'd need to secure up the more dangerous tools and weapons, clear out some rooms, maybe even go shopping. Most likely go shopping. God, what did kids even like? Should they take them out and let them pick their own things? Just guess and choose for them? The familiar feeling of panic was coming, and Larry knew that they were in way over their head. He meant to voice his fears, but this came out.

"We should keep them together at the base, Steve."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked. The jet shifted a bit to the left and the telepath moved his feet to keep his balance.

"We should have them room together for now. It's obvious they trust each other, and having them in a new place with strangers is going to have them on edge. They can comfort each other." It was clear Rita was good at keeping them calm. But, they hadn't opened up the can of worms that this was, and they knew that the emotional field was covered with mines. Those kids had been through far too much.

"Probably be best. I think Chief is working on clearing out a room. We might need to take some time off." There was a sour look to Steve's face. "I'll make the call tomorrow. Bruce was saying how the League was bored, they can take a stab at our workload." Cliff laughed. It wasn't genuine, but it cut the tension.

"I'm going to go check on them. Introduce myself." Larry moved out of the cabin and into the other part of the jet. Rita was sitting on the ground in front of the kids. She smiled when he walked in.

"Remember that I told you that there was a team of us? This is Larry. He helps us." Larry came closer, but maintained his distance. He didn't want to scare the kids. The boy, Gar he remembered after a moment, glanced at him from beneath his hair before looking down again.

"Why are you all bandaged? Did you get hurt?" Terra blurted out. Under the wrappings, Larry smiled.

"Something like that. That's a story for another time. Just thought I'd come see you guys since we're gonna be together for a bit." He walked a bit closer and sat down.

There were two seats in between him and the boy. The kid didn't seem scared, just tense, and it was clear that he didn't seem to want him to get any closer. Larry leaned back and made himself look as relaxed as possible. No need to worry them for nothing.

"So, you got a favorite color, kid?" He turned his head to look at Gar. The kid looked back at him and shook his head. "I got one. Neon yellow, drives Steve nuts. Says it hurts his eyes. We can share it till you find one you like." Rita smiled.

She knew what he was doing. As long as she didn't point it out then he would be good. The rest of the flight went smooth. Until they landed. Then the kids get scared again, the girl curling and uncurling her fists as she sat.

"Where are we?"

"Morocco. The base is hidden, completely safe. No scary baddies here." The joke fell flat. Chief was patiently waiting for them. Gar seemed curious when he saw the old, metal wheelchair. Larry knew that any questions he had couldn't be asked. The scar on his neck was still burned into his memory.

Carefully, he held his hand out. The boy eyed it before moving closer to the girl. Larry didn't feel bad; there would be time to earn their trust. Chief kept his tone light when they finally got close enough.

"Nice to see you made it back in one piece." He raised an eyebrow at the kids. "And picked up a few strays." He looked at Mento.

"The medbay is all set up for you. Take your time, I already notified the League that we'd be unavailable for a few days."

"You get them settled, I'll take care of the jet." Cliff moved to get everything settled. Chief rolled over to the kids.

"My name is Chief." He held his hand out to shake. Terra didn't take it, and Larry smiled a little when Gar did. The kid quickly reached out, shook it, and then pressed against Terra's side again.

"My name is Terra, this is Gar." Chief raised an eyebrow when the boy didn't introduce himself. Mento coughed.

"We should get them inside. They need medical attention and rest." They made their way slowly into the manor. The kids were looking at everything and Larry wondered if they needed to childproof the place.

"You live here?" Chief looked over at Terra.

"Yes."

"It's a big place to live in all by yourself."

"Well, I don't live alone. The others live here, too."

"But they leave a lot."

"Yes, but they come back. Plus, I rather like the quiet." Chief stopped to push the elevator button. He could go up the stairs, but that would take too long. "I prepared a room for you and Gar. You can pick a different one later, if you wish." The two looked shocked to hear that was a room made up just for them. When the elevator opened, Larry knew they were gonna break up.

Rita led the kids out and when they saw the medbay, they froze. Terra was trying to move back, while Gar seemed to shake. Ever perceptive of the situation, Chief came over to the kids.

"I know you're scared. But this isn't like the type of place you've been kept at."

"No doctors." Terra said. Her voice shook. Chief nodded.

"That's right, no doctors. I can look the two of you over. I'll tell you everything I'm doing and we can stop if you get uncomfortable. Do you understand?"

Both of them seemed so amazed by the very idea that they could speak up if they were uncomfortable. Terra narrowed her eyes and Larry could see the similarities in that look; Mento looked the same way when he was arguing something.

"We stay together. I'm not leaving him."

"Of course, would you like any other people in the room with you?" Gar looked over Rita. She smiled at him, and Larry could tell he wanted to return it, so he wasn't mad when the kid didn't. Building a relationship with the kid would take time.

"Can Miss Rita stay?"

Once Rita had agreed the four of them walked into the medbay. Larry could have followed, as could Steve, but they wanted the kids to get a sense of control.

"I'll go help Cliff with the jet. Make sure he doesn't break anything important." Steve nodded and they slowly went back into the elevator.

"How bad do you think it's going to be?"

"Honestly, if they make it through the exam without having a panic attack, I'll be surprised." Mento's face went sour. Larry left him on the main floor and went to join Cliff with the awful task of waiting.


	2. Sisters

Author's note: I really like writing this. So, most of the characters will be a little off the original character, and that's simply because I want to explore each of them outside of the show. Some of you voiced concern that there would be romance between BBxTerra and there will be NONE of that. Purely a sibling relationship. So, read, review, and enjoy!

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When they walked into the room, Terra gripped Gar's hand tighter. She could already feel him starting to shake. She would go first, test the situation, and if it came to it, use her powers and get out of here. The guy in the wheelchair, Chief, led them over to a set of beds. There weren't any straps to hold them down.

"Why don't the two of you sit down." Miss Rita seemed nice, then again, everyone did in the beginning. Gar was looking around, mapping out all the exits. She wondered if he had enough strength to shape shift.

Their powers were difficult to describe. Gar had gotten his only a year ago; Terra had hers for as long as she could remember. Granted, Gar was getting better control over his abilities, he didn't have a choice, she was still struggling. Rocks weren't as simple as you thought to manipulate. But these people… they were like them. People with powers. She couldn't trust them. Not until she knew what they were about. She knew Gar felt the same; he didn't trust easily anymore, especially not since the last time. That failed escape attempt would haunt and scar him forever.

"What are you going to do?" Gar didn't move towards the beds, so Terra had to stop walking or lose her grip. Rita lowered herself down to their level.

"Well, we'd like to know if anything is hurting right now. Then Chief would probably want to give you a quick check up. Stuff like measuring your breathing, looking at your eyes, things like that. Then he'll probably ask you some questions." She looked over at Gar. "Honey, I know you're scared, but we'd really like to look at your neck."

Terra couldn't tell her not to ask him quick enough.

Gar pulled away and wrapped his hands around his neck. Terra moved and held him. The shaking wasn't bad yet, and when Miss Rita came forward to help, she pulled him away so that he was behind her.

"Don't! You're scaring him!" If they were outside some of the smaller rocks would be floating. Her powers always acted up when she was upset. Miss Rita didn't come closer. Her face was pinched, and Chief was on the other side of bed, a blood pressure cuff in his hand, the expression on his face unreadable.

"Ok, I'm sorry for scaring him."

The strange thing was that it sounded like she meant it. From her experience, Terra hadn't met many adults that sounded sorry for what they had done.

"Not his neck, don't touch it." Had this been in the lab, she would have been beaten. At the very least, Gar would be taken from her. "He doesn't like it when people touch it. It doesn't hurt him, not anymore, just don't touch him." Chief put his stuff down and wheeled over to them. Gar's face was in the middle of her back, and her could feel the panicked breathes going out.

"Terra, I know that this is a new place for you two. I want you to understand that we aren't going to treat you like the people who held you." He didn't flinch away from them. "I want to help you feel better. The only way I can do that is if you tell me what your triggers are so I don't scare you."

"Triggers?" Terra asked.

"Things that could make you feel unsafe. For example, we didn't know that touch Gar's neck was traumatic for him. That's a trigger. Now we can work around it to make him feel safe."

Safety wasn't for them. It never had been. There were gloves, coats, even weapons for the guards and doctors. They were the ones who needed to be protected. She and Gar got chains, cages, and drugs to keep them quiet and still. She couldn't remember the last time an adult had gone out of their way to make her feel safe.

"Don't put anything on his wrists. Or try to hold him down." She shivered when she recalled the screams (before they made Gar silent) Gar would yell out when they tried to forced him down onto the table.

Chief nodded and then, he searched for a pen and paper, and wrote it all down. Then he looked at her again. Terra could feel that Gar was looking over her shoulder, and she nuzzled his cheek.

"And what about you, Terra?" Chief asked gently. She swallowed.

"I don't like small places, injections, and electrodes." She knew that word. That had been one of the favorites amongst the doctors when it was her turn to go to the circular room. They wanted to see how long she could hold out before she lost control. "I can't remember any other ones."

There were others, and Terra wasn't dumb enough to give them more. It was better to wait and see how they were handled. The past two years had been awful, and it wouldn't be smart to trust these people blindly. She could only imagine that Gar was the same way, and he had been with the lab for three years. Chief seemed to take it all in stride and wrote it all down. His handwriting was neat, all cursive, and Terra wondered how he got all his letters to look that small. When he was done, he set it aside.

"Would you two feel comfortable sitting on the bed? I won't get any of the medical equipment, I just want to get some information." Chief asked. He waited patiently. Gar moved out from her and looked them up and down. Seeing that he could talk to him in the normal way, Chief slid a piece of paper and the pen towards him. Gar waited a moment before taking it.

 _Just talking?_

Rita made a mental note to looking to getting some sign language books. Gar wouldn't be able to write everything he wanted or needed to say on plain paper.

"That's right, just talking. You and Terra can sit together." There wasn't any point to try and separate them. Rita helped them up onto the bed and tried not to feel hurt when both of the children moved away from her touch as soon as possible. Chief came over, with the same pad and a pen, and began asking.

"Could I have your names?"

 _Gar Logan._

"I don't remember my last name. Just Terra." Chief nodded. It wasn't a big deal right now.

"How old are you?" Both kids paused and Rita could see those little brains working extremely hard. Then, Terra smirked and she turned to Gar.

"I'm nine and a half." Gar rolled his eyes and both adults had to stop their mouths from dropping to the floor.

 _I'm nine. And it's only a difference of a few months._

Terra pointed a finger in the boy's face. "No, it isn't. I'm older than you." Chief would never understand how children could fly in and out of fun arguments like these. It was a relief to see them act like their ages for a moment. He wrote down these facts on the pad.

"Alright, so nine and nine and a half." Terra stuck her tongue out at Gar and he gently poked her side. Rita let a laugh out this time that had both kids go still for a moment, then relax.

"I'm sure we can debate who's older later on. Now, I know this part might get a little scary, but how about we set some ground rules, ok?" Gar was the one to open his hand for Terra to grab this time. "Just like the triggers, how about we have a safe word." Chief coughed at that. Right, Gar wouldn't be able to say it. Terra was already one step ahead of her.

"I can say it, and Gar can hold my hand and then tap it when he needs to stop." Clearly these two already had a system in place. It made her angry that they had ever needed it in the first place. "Can I pick the word?"

"Sure." Chief said. Terra thought for a moment.

"Mineral." And odd choice, but Rita wasn't about to argue it with the girl. Both of them needed to have a say in what happened from here on out. They had already lost so much because of the Brotherhood.

"Alright, now, how would you like us to go about the check-up?" Chief asked bluntly. Rita wished he was a little more tactful, but she could understand why he was doing it this way. "I can check the same things on both of you at the same time, or I can do one person first, then the other." Terra looked at Gar. There seemed to be a silent conversation going on, and Rita didn't have a clue how to start translating it. Not that she would try; these kids had already started to worm their way into her beating heart.

"Both of us at the same time. I'll go first." Terra said after a moment. Gar moved to get the hair out of her eyes.

"Ok, so, I need to know if there are any injuries that are causing you pain right now." Chief said as he wheeled closer to the bed. Terra bit her lip before nodding.

"My knee has a gash. Some bruises. That's it. They didn't have time to put me back on the table." There was that weird face again. She was beginning to believe that it wasn't a bad thing, or at least something not aimed at her.

Rita grabbed the pad and pen off of Chief's lap and handed it to Gar. The boy took it without hesitation. As he wrote stuff down, Chief started to direct her in getting medical supplies for Terra. The gash on her leg was infected, and the majority of the bruises were still black and blue.

"It may sting." He warned as he put the disinfectant on it. Gar stopped writing to lean his head on her shoulder. "We can give you some cream for the bruises. Make them stop throbbing."

"Okay." Terra watched him wrap her knee.

Once that was done, Chief turned over to Gar. The boy held out the paper and then curled up around Terra. There was another unspoken conversation and she let him rest his head on her shoulder. The list was short, just a few cuts on his chest, and some older abrasions that seemed to bother him. He put the list to the side and then, slowly, moved closer.

"Gar, I'm going to need you to lift your shirt up so I can see the cuts." Gar stiffened at that. Terra moved her hand to cup the back of his head.

"Maybe it would be easier if Terra helped." Rita suggested. Even though the kids were working with them, there were tons of issues they were tiptoeing around, and Rita didn't want to give them a reason to fear them. The suggestion went well. Until they got a glimpse of Gar's torso. Had the people who did this, Rita would have grown to the size of a skyscraper and crush them. The cuts weren't bad, but she could count his ribs, and there was bruising near his shoulders. Like someone had held him down hard enough to leave imprints on skin.

Chief cleaned the cuts and Rita tried to compose herself before speaking. She wouldn't let these kids think that her anger was directed at them.

"Did these people ever feed you? Did they give you meals every day?" Chief glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but didn't comment.

"No," Terra said. "They only did if they got something they didn't like. Food isn't for pets, anyway." When Chief was finished, he helped Gar get the shirt back on and then waited till both of the kids were looking at him. "Are… are we in trouble, sir?"

"No, honey, you aren't in trouble." Chief's face hardened just a fraction. "The people that did this are." Rita didn't doubt that. Once the kids were settled, the older man would be hunting for the offenders. "When was the last time you two ate?" Gar held up two fingers. "Two hours?" Gar shook his head. "Two days?" That was the answer and both adults were seething.

"How about we get you something to eat." Rita said as she helped them down.

"Something light, Rita. I don't want their stomachs to get upset." Chief waved goodbye to the kids as they left. Once they were past the elevator, Chief let his head fall into his hands. What kind of situation did they just stumble on?

X

The kitchen was huge. Gar hadn't seen anything like it. The lab didn't have one, or if they did, he and Terra never saw it. The guards weren't too keen on letting them wander around. Rita was patient, answering all of the questions. Terra was asking most of them. Gar was fine with that. He wanted to look around anyway. The other members weren't here. Rita assured them that they would come up later on.

"Now, since Chief recommended something light, you have a few choices. I could make you soup, or some toast, or oatmeal? Any other those sound good?" Like before, she crouched down in front of them. The ability to talk would have been nice, but the paper was back upstairs, and Gar didn't want to ask for another one. His face must have given him away, as Rita smiled sadly at him before pulling out a smaller one for him to use. Feeling shy, he only gave a brief smile of his own, before hiding behind Terra again. "You're welcome, Gar."

He wrote down what he'd like, oatmeal sounded pretty good, and then showed her. Rita perked up. "Good choice! Now, we have plain oatmeal, but I'm sure we could sweeten it up if you'd like." He frowned in confusion and she explained. "I could add honey or fruit to it." Terra grinned.

"Could I have mine with honey?" Gar rolled his eyes; she always said she liked the sweeter things. Not that they got a lot in the lab. He shivered and it had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Sure, you can. Gar, what would you like with yours?"

 _Could I have fruit?_

"We can make that happen." Rita got them settled at the table as she prepared the meal. This was when Terra began to pester her with questions.

"Does anyone else live here?"

"No, just the five of us." She looked over her shoulder to smile at them. "And now the two of you." Terra drummed her fingers on the table.

"For how long?"

"Well, Chief is looking into finding your families-"

"They're all dead." Gar had lost his before being taken from Africa, and Terra had lost hers somewhere, she didn't remember the country it occurred.

Rita stopped what she was doing and came by the table. Her face looked sad. "I'm so sorry. On the chance that someone related to you survived, Chief is going to check." Gar wrote something quickly and showed it to her.

 _And if there isn't anyone?_ Rita moved slowly and brushed his hair back. He froze, heart pounding, but her touch was gentle. Just like when she asked to take their hands back in the rubble. She didn't linger. Gar was happy about that; he didn't like people toughing him for too long that weren't Terra. They trusted each other.

"If we can't find anyone, then you might live here. Would you like that?" A home. This woman was telling them that they could live here if they wanted. And all too soon, Gar remember a conversation that he and Terra had. About where they would go once they got out. They could go anywhere, but there wasn't anyone sticking around for them. No one left to care. Rita gave another smile, sad and timid. "It's ok. You don't have to answer right now." She straightened up. "Now, let's get some food into you. Then we can go find you a room."

The oatmeal was good, and the strawberries even better, although he ended up sharing with Terra anyway and offering some to Miss Rita. Terra insisted in helping clean up, and was delighted with she got to use the little hose in the sink to rinse off the bowls. After that, Rita led them down to where the rooms were. She explained that the building had four floors and that the bedrooms were on the fourth floor. Terra stopped at every window to peer outside. There was a lot of trees around them. No other people to be seen.

The room was huge. Bigger than what he had back in Africa, and what he had in the lab. There wasn't much in it yet, besides the two cots and some blankets. Rita lead them further inside.

"I know it's not much, but we can get more things for you in a few days." She gestured that the cots would be replaced by beds and pointed out that they had rolling wheels, so they could place them anywhere in the room. "We could even paint the room. And put shelves up, if you want." Terra was looking around, probably picturing where future things could go.

They could really stay here. The possibility of remaining for one place for a long time could happen. He wouldn't have to wonder if this would be the last time he saw Terra. When he caught her eyes, Terra must have been thinking the same thing. She came over and grasped his hand. Miss Rita was watching them, and he slowly held his own hand out. The reaction wasn't meant to make her cry, but as she took his hand in hers, she explained that the tears weren't sad.

He didn't even know tears could be happy.


	3. Divide and Conquer

Author's Note: We got a snow day! In college, it's like winning the lottery. So, here's the next chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Hours later all of them were seated in various positions in the living room. A small feed showed them the kids, curled up next to each other, fast asleep. For now, they'd be in the same room. It didn't seem smart to keep them apart when they needed time to adjust.

"We need to get them on a better eating schedule. I didn't like the weight on either of them." Chief said.

"I ordered some sign language books. Gar could talk easier with those as opposed to just writing everything down." Rita mentioned from Steve's right side on the couch.

They had been talking about the kids for a while. It took some time for the them to get to sleep, and even then, all of them were worried about leaving them alone. Chief had already planned, and also set up an alarm to their communicators if one of them left the room and needed something. It had only been one day, and Cliff was exhausted. He couldn't imagine what the kids felt like. Did they feel safe? Were they waiting for the other shoe to drop? The idea that the Brotherhood was looking for them didn't escape his thoughts.

"We'll need to order some other things for them too if they're staying long term." Larry pipped up from his spot. "They'll need clothes and stuff." These two didn't even have their own clothes. Nothing to call their own.

"You mentioned how they told you that their families were dead?" Mento asked again. Rita nodded. It couldn't have been easy to get that piece of information. Cliff had been hoping that there people still looking for these kids. "Is anything coming up on the search engine?" Chief shook his head.

"Nothing, not a single hit." He paused. "I think, for the short term right now, we assume temporary custody. Until we can think of a better solution." Cliff felt his stomach drop.

"No." Everyone turned to look at him and he realized that he hadn't weighed in on this conversation yet. "They can stay here till they want to leave. We're their best shot." It wasn't a bad idea; two kids with questionable abilities being raised by a team of superheroes. Not to mention that they would be protected. "We can't just pass them off to someone else. Not when we don't know who's looking for them." Rita nodded sagely.

"They'll stay with us. Even the League couldn't fault the practicality of it." They talked about that aspect for a while. At the end of it, it was decided that since Rita and Steve were already married, they would seek temporary guardianship. The kids would be safe here. He looked towards the feed; the two youngsters had shifted in the bed. The girl was spread out on the bed, with the boy curling up on his side towards the door. Maybe they felt safer after Chief had shown them the security system. Cliff planned on upgrading it again this week.

"Guess we'll have to cut back on the swearing." Larry said as he got up. They had all been up for hours. Providing that the world wasn't in any immediate danger, they wouldn't be going out on missions in the near future.

"You better. I don't want either of them to get a filthy mouth like yours." Rita threatened. Steve stood and cracked his back.

"We need to see what the rangers of their powers are." Rita and Chief gave him a glare. "After their health improves!" He said quickly, putting his hands up in surrender. Larry laughed at him.

X

Cliff slept until late that morning. He shuffled down to the kitchen; even with the new organs and gears, he could still process food, and coffee suited him just fine right now. Steve wasn't there, or Chief, but Larry was manning the stove, with Rita by the table. The kids were there, too.

"Morning sunshine!" Larry teased. The bandaged man was met with a grunt. Terra was studying him.

"Is it all metal?" Cliff looked at her as he poured his cup.

"Yes, all metal. Wanna feel?" He held out his free arm and she lightly touched the forged pieces.

There was a hesitation at first, like she was afraid to hurt him, then she found her nerve. Her little fingers ran over some of the larger bolts on an arm panel, then down to the movable pieces near his wrist.

"It looks heavy," Terra says after she's completed her search. Cliff chuckles.

"No, it's pretty light. Just looks heavy." He moved his eyes to Gar. "You want a turn?" There was a small pause before he nodded. Cliff was relived. He wanted to get these kids out of their shells; if being used like a human show and tell was the way to do it, then so be it.

Gar seems to be a look more curious than Terra. By the time Larry is done making breakfast, French toast, Cliff has been pulled into a seat next to the boy and he's on his knees looking at his shoulder plating. Terra, having lost interest in the metal, is following Larry and helping him plate the pieces of bread.

"Someone should let Steve and Chief knew we have food," Larry drawled. "The two of them will never eat if we don't remind them."

"I'll go," Cliff said. He stopped when Gar got up to follow him. Rita was watching the scene closely. "You wanna come with me?" The kid, seriously these two were tiny Gar didn't even come up to his waist, nodded. Cliff let a smile creep in. "Alright, let's go get the two workaholics." Gar keeps up pretty well, with Cliff only having to slow his stride down once. At some point, the small hand wraps around two of his fingers, but he doesn't draw attention to it. The first place he checks is the right one. Chief is hunched over a computer screen, Steve directing him.

Cliff knocks his free hand against the doorframe. He's been on the receiving end of a thrown book or pen, and he doesn't want Gar to experience that. Chief relaxes when he sees who's there, and then raises an eyebrow when he catches Gar next to him. Cliff shrugs. He's not sure either, but he isn't about to tell the kid to stop. The boy's only been here a day and already has Cliff wrapped around his finger. He doesn't want to think about the implications of that. Steve groans as he gets up. The pop in his back echoes.

"We need to replace those chairs. I'm not even 40 yet and my back feels broken." Steve complained. He noticed Gar standing there, and the boy edged behind Cliff, and the telepath smiled. "Was Cliff showing you around?" Gar peeked around his leg, and it wasn't adorable at all, and shook his head.

"You should. You'd love the jet." Chief said as he rolled over. He stopped next to Gar. "Any pain today?" Cliff could tell that he was fibbing when he said no, but didn't call him out on it. This was the first sign of him opening up.

Chief had Gar walk next to him. Steve walked with him to bring up the rear. The mask wasn't on, which was a relief, because Cliff didn't want to deal with a paranoid leader on top of everything else.

"He seemed pretty comfortable with you." Steve said softly. Cliff smiled.

"You should have seen him upstairs. He likes the metal work." Steve laughed. "Terra seems ok with Larry, too. They're doing ok, Steve, they just need time." He made sure Gar wasn't paying attention. "Any hits?"

"None yet, and I don't want to sound cruel, but I don't think there will be any."

It was too much to hope for a happy reunion. If these kids had abilities, and Cliff was beginning suspect that they did, then whoever took them wouldn't leave loose ends. Anyone that could potentially come for the kids would be dead. Rita had mentioned that the two hadn't recalled any family, so they hadn't put much stock into finding people. Now the question of 'what next' was coming up. Would the kids stay here? Or moved someone more stable? There were collections of mutant kids in the states. Cliff didn't like that idea for these kids.

"I forgot my communicator in the office. You go ahead, me and Cliff with me up in a second." Steve says suddenly. Cliff follows him down the hall, knowing full well that his friend didn't forget his communicator, and he doesn't start talking till the elevator doors have closed. "Alright, first off, we aren't sending them to the States."

"It could come up. They have facilities there."

"No different than the one we're currently living in. Plus, we don't know the scope of their powers." Steve's face turns sour. "I don't like the idea of the League going near them."

"But there is a chance they could come for them. It might take a few more days, Steve, but other teams will notice that we've taken a leave of absence. They'll ask why, find the kids, and try to meet them."

"They won't, not until Terra and Gar agree to it. Right now, the League isn't our concern. They are." Steve leans against the computer table. "I've been thinking, and I know Rita has too, about looking into a long-term custody thing." Cliff just nods along. He couldn't take that kind of responsibility for the kids. Not right now, anyway.

It had been a little over four years since the accident. There were nights were the metal hurt too much to move. Trying to raise two kids on top of that? Even Cliff would have to back out. Steve was used to that kind of life. Plus, Rita had always wanted kids. Maybe it would do some good to have a bunch of youngsters in the manor. Steve laughed as he walked towards the door.

"You've put a lot of thought into all this, haven't you?" Cliff didn't mind the teasing. It was nice to see the uptight leader joking around, even if it was at his expense.

"You should stop poking around in my head, you don't know what you'll find." At that, he pictured a busty blonde, and Steve pretended to gag. "See? Serves you right."

"Should I be worried about a double date situation?" They pestered each other till they got back to the kitchen. Terra was still talking to Larry, and he didn't seem to mind, and Gar had attached himself to Rita. Chief was watching it all with a soft smile.

"About time you two showed up. I might have to put a cap on the number of hours you spend down there." It was an empty threat. Rita had been yelling at them for years about it. "Sit, and don't think about escaping off later." Dinner was quiet. The kids picked at their food, it would take a while for them to get a normal appetite back, and Cliff was once again showing off his arm to Gar. Terra asked a few questions here and there, but seemed fine with observing everything.

"We should have a movie night." Larry said as they were cleaning up. "We should take some time to relax and unwind."

"It needs to be age appropriate." Rita pointed out. "Go show them the films. They could each pick one." Cliff walked over to the shelf and let the kids look through them. Terra seemed to drift towards the mystery section, but Gar stayed right near the older classics. He picked one, _The African Queen_ he read after a moment and came to stand near the man. He held the case out and Cliff smiled.

"This is a good one," Cliff commented as he made sure that the disk was inside. "Have you seen it before?" Gar nodded, but seemed subdued.

Cliff crouched down so he was eye level with the boy. Terra was far enough away from them, and the others weren't listening. "Was this a film you used to watch with your family?" He made sure his voice was gentle. It wasn't his intention to make the kid upset. Gar nodded after a moment. Cliff's heart ached; the other side of it was calling out for blood. "It's ok, I didn't want to make you sad." Gar gave him a look, like he didn't understand why that was a bad thing. "Hang on, I have an idea for us."

Gar watched in confusion as he went over to the table, grabbed the discarded pad and pen, and came back. Terra was standing next to him and Cliff gestured to the bookcase.

"Let's make a list of the movies you remember watching. Might as well make it a movie marathon."

"We can pick out more than one?" Terra asked. She was clutching a film tightly to her chest, clearly not believing him.

"You can out more than one." Cliff reassured. And that's how it went for the next hour. Every film that the kids found interesting, or remembered watching at one time, went on that list.

It was dark out by the time they were throwing in the first movie. Terra was excited, more animated than Cliff had ever seen, and took special interest in helping Chief with the popcorn. Gar stuck by him, always keeping an eye on Terra, and the metal man didn't see a point to trying to get him to engage in the others. Larry came over with blankets and Cliff found himself sharing with a kid that was maybe one fifth the size of him. He couldn't remember the last time he did something relaxing.

"Are you excited?" Rita asked when the popcorn was done. There were two big bowls that she divided between the men, and gave the kids two small bowls. Chief was still cautious of overwhelming their stomachs. Cliff should offer a few suggestions; he could cook some lighter dishes, and it was give them a better sense of what the kids liked. Especially if they would be spending more time here. He hadn't thought the manor would have a couple of kids running around, so he supposed he could get used to it. "Alright, Steve get the lights, let's get started."

Terra was a bundle of questions throughout each film. She asked about the action ones, if all the stunts were real, and the mystery ones, like if someone could really get away with something like that. Gar defended the classics, and the adults were treated to a small, argument, with Gar clearly coming out as winner. There were smiles from both kids, so Cliff wasn't worried about any hurt feelings. Then he saw that _Indian Jones_ was next and he shared a look with Chief. Mento and Larry always argued over the fight sequences in that one. They both smirked.

By 1 am, the kids were out cold. Terra was spread out between Larry and Rita; Gar was curled up next to Cliff. Without any thought, Cliff scooped him up and stood.

"I'll bring him to his bed." Rita nodded and did the same with Terra. Everyone froze when the girl showed signs up waking up, but she slept on. After leaving instructions to clean up, the two left with their charges.

"The books should be here in a few days." Rita said. "We should have enough for everyone."

"You tell him yet?"

"I'll let him know in the morning."

Cliff had no experience with sign language. It wasn't one of the strangest things to learn, and Rita and Chief seemed excited. It would make talking with the kid easier. They tucked the kids in, Rita smoothing the blankets back, and making sure everything was covered. It was such a motherly action. Cliff wondered what would happen if the kids couldn't stay with them. He shook his head; they would stay here. It hadn't been long, but these two had already charmed them. After all, Gar had gotten to see all of his plates. The last person, and one of the few, to look at them was Chief.

"Come on, we should get to bed, too." Rita gently tugged him away. Cliff figured he wouldn't be sleeping much. Since the operation, he didn't sleep well, so he took to looking over the security feeds. The first night the kids were here, he kept watch all night long.

"You ever wonder what they think of us?" He blurted when they got into the hall.

"Sometimes. It'll take some time for them to be fully comfortable with us, but one day we might know." Rita seemed so hopeful for that little moment.

She wanted to be a mom. That was no secret. Steve had mentioned how much she talked of having kids. The powers they gotten changed them in different ways, and Rita had lost the ability to have children on her own terms. That had been a blow that took months to come back from. Now, with Terra and Gar here, the possibility that they could have a different life was seeming more and more appealing. Hell, maybe the kids would be open to the idea. Cliff waved goodnight to her and then headed down to where the computers were. He brought up the feed of the kid's room and settled in.

"At least make a convincing lie when Rita asks you if you've slept." Larry said as he walked in and pulled up a chair next to him.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping, too?" Cliff asked. He felt his lips twitch into a smile when Terra nuzzled in closer to Gar. Tomorrow he would bring up furnishing the room. And maybe order some toys for them.

"No, plus I had the same idea you did." Larry smoothed down some of the bandages.

"Well, I guess we should get comfortable."

Cliff smiled.


	4. Forces of Nature

Author's Note: Next update! Read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Cliff ignored the looks from Steve and Chief as he set the laptop down on the coffee table. Terra was regarding him over at the other end of the couch. Gar was with Rita, following her around like a puppy, and he came over when Terra said his name.

"Alright, you little rascals," Terra scrunches up her nose at the nickname. "We're gonna go shopping today." Steve opened his mouth to disagree. "Not in the open. Online shopping." Gar stood by his knee and without a second thought, Cliff picked him up so he was sitting against his metal chest.

"Now, when you see something that looks good to you, let me know." Cliff started scrolling, with Terra finally coming closer so that she could see the screen. It was a slow process. They were on the third page of the site when Terra finally pointed something out. It was a set of flying discs that were fired out of some sort of sling shot; the discs themselves were of a mesh fabric, so they wouldn't break anything. Cliff added them to the cart. Gar pointed out some cool almanac books, mostly of animals, and then worked with Terra to add some games.

Rita came over to help them pick out clothes. It was still warm here, but the winters were harsh and cold. It wasn't long before the four of them were picking out clothes.

"Can I get that sweater, with the stripes on it?" Terra asked. Rita took over control of the mouse. The sweater came in three different colors.

"What color would you like it in?" Rita moved the mouse so each choice was shown on the screen. Terra looked a bit overwhelmed.

"Better pick up extras, Rita, it gets cold here." That was how the kids got multiples of each. It was well into the afternoon when the order got placed. Cliff didn't let the kids see the amount, not knowing how they would react to the price, and let them know that the stuff would be here in a few days. They had added stuff for their room, and Gar seemed pretty excited about the wall decals that could be added. Terra was excited for the little stars that glowed in the dark; she wanted to put them up on the ceiling and walls.

"Someone is spoiling them." Larry teased when it was lunch time. Cliff didn't mind it. As long as the kids were here, he'd be wrapped around their finger, and he was completely fine with it.

X

Terra was beginning to think that things would stay normal for once. She and Gar were fed each day, got to sleep in beds, and she even got to wash her hair in warm water. That concept was probably one of the best things they found out; Gar was so excited with that. The best part was probably the fact that they had their own things. Clothes, items to amuse them, at no expected cost.

In the lab, any act of supposed kindness would have to be paid back in blood. Extra food paid for in tissue samples. A drink of water after two days without any? Surgery to look at working muscles with no pain relief. The first time Larry bent down to willingly give her a hug, Terra flinch and couldn't go near him. She didn't want to know the price for such a comfort. However, with the days passing, she was beginning to think there wasn't one. Larry, and the others, always offered. They never expected anything in return for offering comfort.

The room was dark and Terra couldn't sleep. Gar was curled up next to her and she gently nudged him with her toes. It didn't take long to wake him, since they were both light sleepers, and he looked at her expectantly.

"Can we talk?" She whispered. He yawned and fumbled around for his pad. Mister Steve had mentioned that some books would be coming in for Gar, so he could learn to talk with his hands instead of writing all the time. Once he had what he needed, Terra started talking again. "Have they asked to give you a hug?"

It wouldn't have surprised her. After all, these people had given them everything without asking for something in return. Terra couldn't stop thinking that the other shoe would drop, and they would be hurt again. She caught Miss Rita and Mister Steve talking with Mister Chief about counseling. She wasn't sure why, but she was too shy and scared to ask. Having people want her opinion on things was new to her. Gar wasn't much better; maybe he was more scared since he couldn't directly ask questions like she could. Terra didn't stare as he scribbled on the page.

 _They don't ask, but they look like they want to. Cliff give me hugs and it's nice._ The metal man was his favorite. The man was gentle and protective, and Terra was beginning to trust him, if only for the fact that he liked Gar just as much as she did.

"Mister Larry wanted to give me one the other day. I got scared." She fiddled with a stray thread on the blanket. "I wanted to, I just don't know how to let them. Do you think they would get that?" Terra felt awful about it. Mister Larry seemed sad.

 _I know that they don't like the lab people. I always hear them talking about what they'll do if they find them._ Gar scribbled. Terra let go of the fringe to play with his hair. It seemed like they had been here for so long, when it had only been a few days. Yet, no one mentioned that they would be leaving soon. The adults actually seemed insulted whenever the subject of finding a better home for them came up. _I want them to find them._ Those words were written small and hesitant. Terra didn't need any explanation for the confession.

The next morning was exciting. First, Miss Rita explained to them what French toast was, as Mister Chief had said that they could start branching out on which types of food to eat. Then, after breakfast, Mister Steve showed Gar the books that had come in. A whole book full of sign language. He was flipping through the pages for the rest of the day, and Terra let him be. It had been too long since he had been properly excited about anything. Plus, this was the only chance he had at getting a voice back since the surgery.

Throughout the day, each of the adults would sit with Gar and learn the hand motions with him. Terra picked some up as well. By the time lunch had come around, Gar had a handful of the movements figured out, if he moved his fingers slowly. Mister Chief said it would take time, but had all the faith that they would learn it quickly. Terra hoped he was right; it would be cruel to have Gar fail at something that would allow him to talk in another way. She couldn't even recall a memory of what his voice sounded like.

The days started to blend together. Mister Cliff helped assemble the furniture that came in for their room. Mister Steve gently brought up testing their powers, and was reassuring when they both said they didn't want to use them yet. Terra wasn't scared of her gifts, but she was worried how they would react after suppressing the urges for so long. Gar didn't seem to mind the question; the only thing said on the matter was that they could use them when they were ready. The Doom Patrol wanted to help them, not force them, use and control their abilities.

X

Steve should have expected it sooner. It wasn't like their group to take a hiatus without a given reason. Still, he was a bit surprised when Chief called him to the office in the middle of the night because there was someone on the line.

"I didn't peg you for the vacation type, Steve." Bruce's gravel tone of voice came out over the speaker. Rolling his eyes at Chief, he pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Well, I'm full of surprises. Is there a reason for you calling in the middle of the night?"

"It's nearly noon, Steve."

"Not here it isn't. Now, get to it, what's the real reason you called. I don't expect you to be on for idle chatter." Chief shot him a look that meant he should be nicer to the other guy.

"Oh, right, time zones. Doesn't matter now, does it, you were awake anyway." Bruce didn't wait long. "Someone in the grape vine told me you picked up some strays." Instantly, Steve was sitting up straighter.

"Where did you hear this?"

"Doesn't matter, I don't reveal my sources. Now, is it true?"

"Sorry, I don't reveal my sources either." Steve said evenly.

"Are we really going to dance around this? I thought you were a truthful man." Bruce, for all his business tendencies and caped crusades, tended to be a big pain in the ass when he felt like it.

"Depends on why you feel like asking. I don't like people prying into my team for no reason, Wayne, you know how that feels."

"Dodging the question."

"You haven't answered either." Chief huffed and rolled closer to the phone.

"For the sake of time," He said with a stern look towards Steve when he opened his mouth. "State your point, Mr. Wayne."

Talking with the business man, and now caped crusader, was hard at times. The guy liked to be all mystic. Which, at parties, was fine; not when he was implying about the kids. These past few weeks had shown him that while they had no solid connection to Gar and Terra, they had no problem with defending them. Even from people they considered allies. Chief kept his eyes on Steve while they waited for a reply.

"Of course, you must be busy. I was wondering when you would be stating to the League that you found some children in possession of abilities."

"Mr. Wayne-" Chief began.

"Don't try to hide it, Chief. It would have come up at some point." They heard him sigh over the line. "I won't try to take them from you, none of us would. Some of us have charges of our own. I'm merely asking about their abilities."

"They haven't been strong enough to really test them." Steve said. Terra was getting away from the sick, pale complexion she had when she first came to the manor. Gar's ribs weren't as prominent as before. Hell, both of them were getting braver when asking questions.

"Any ideas on what you could be dealing with?" Both men shared a look. Neither of them had any clue. Mutants could fall under any category.

"Not right now. Like I said earlier, we aren't rushing them through any trials." Steve coughed.

"There's also the problem with making sure they don't have any flashbacks triggered from the tests. No telling what those bastards asked them to do before we found them."

"Where did you find these kids?" Bruce asked.

"It was a destroyed lab. We think the Brotherhood wanted them for soldiers or something. Right now, we're focusing on the kids."

Any possible leads from that place were dead ends. The people in the building had either died in the collapse of the structure or fled. The idea that they were still out set Steve's teeth on edge; it was one of the reasons that they didn't talk about the investigation in front of the children. They were scared enough, and for the sake of their healing minds and bodies, Steve didn't want to inflict any more stress on them. Chief was finally giving them exams without the pained, pinched look he wore for hours after. Things were going surprisingly well.

"So, am I right to assume that you'll be leading the custody claim? If not, I can recommend some teams here in the states for them to stay with. Hell, even if their abilities aren't that bad, they could get placed in the system and adopted by someone normal." That was a foolish notion. Half the kids with powers that ended up in the system turned out on the wrong side of the law. Not that Steve could blame them; when the world around you hates you, you go right along with hating it back. "Steve, are you still there?"

"I'm here, sorry, just got lost in my head for a bit." Chief backed off from the phone and seemed to be pleased that he was maintaining a civil tone. "The kids stay here. That isn't up for debate. If they decide later on that they want to move, then we can revisit it. It's taken them weeks just to get comfortable with us; I can't imagine how much longer it might take for another group of strangers."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way, Steve. Some of the teams have kids that could be around their own ages."

It wasn't a bad idea. The kids would need to socialize with other people their own age, maybe not right now, but in the distant future. They couldn't hang around the Doom Patrol the rest of their lives. Chief must have been thinking the same thing.

"We could bring the idea up to them. Now isn't the right now, Bruce. They've just started to settle in, and I don't want to lose any of the progress we've made." Like the fact that Terra had finally accepted one of Larry's hugs, or that Gar wasn't shy about coming up to them.

"Of course. When the time comes, just let me know. We could have them meet up with some of the younger ones, let them get to know each other better." The call ended after that, not before Chief told Bruce that it would be best if he kept this information to himself. They wanted to keep the kids under the radar for as long as possible. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was the only one they had right now.

"So, I guess you're really going through with it?" Chief asked him. Steve frowned.

"Going through with what, Chief?"

"Getting custody. I assumed you and Rita had already decided it." Steve's mouth dropped out and Chief let out a chuckled. "My mistake. Well, I'm sure she's already thinking about it. No way she'd let you pass those kids off now." Steve knew how true that fact way. His wife would probably murder him for even suggesting that.

"I was planning on doing it. I just needed something to get Wayne off my back. You know how prying he can be."

"Well, go on then, you should tell Rita the good news. I bet she'll be thrilled about the kids."

Rita was brushing her teeth when he walked into their bedroom. He kicked off his shoes and then walked into the bathroom to wrap his arms around her waist. After spitting out the foam, she leaned back into him.

"It's nice to see you in bed at a reasonable hour." She said. "Usually I have to drag you back up here kicking and screaming." The teasing was light and he kissed her. "Ok, what's going on? You're acting very charming about something." Steve guided her out of the bathroom, still holding her hand. His wife waited for him to start talking.

"I was talking to Chief, and he mentioned a few things that we need to talk about."

"Well, shouldn't the others be here?"

"Considering that this is a question for a married couple," Steve said as he sat down next to her. "I don't think it would be appropriate." Rita frowned.

"What does us being married have to do with anything?" Steve took a deep breath before starting.

"I think we need to give the kids a stable home. The only way to do that is to take formal responsibility for them, which means getting custody." Steve pressed on.

Or, tried to, because that's when he noticed that Rita was crying. She didn't give him time to ask what was wrong, and he didn't try to read her mind, as she pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him.

"Is this ok? Did I say something stupid?" Steve asked. Rita shook her head.

"Are you sure about this? I know that it's only been a few weeks, Steve, and you've been looking for anyone else with connections to Gar and Terra, but I couldn't give them up if I tried." She pulled back from his chest. "I couldn't."

"Then I guess this is the easy part." Steve said, relieved. He wasn't sure how he would have dealt with it if she had decided not to take the two kids in on a more permanent level. "We need to get the paperwork sorted out, tell the kids, all of that." That was only the start of it, but Rita seemed more interested in kissing him again.

"We get to be parents." She whispered. And, god, didn't that send a thrill down his spine. "We finally get a chance to be parents together, Steve." The tears were back in full force.

Steve wasn't ashamed to admit that they both cried a bit that night. When they finally settled down and tried to fall asleep, Steve found himself wondering how the kids would react. If they would be excited or surprised. He wondered how their friends would react. In the end, he decided that he would deal with all of it in the morning. Rita shifted closer in her sleep, and Steve held her as she pressed her face against his shoulder. Dropping a kiss to her hairline, Steve closed his eyes once more.

They were going to keep the kids.


	5. The Sum of His Parts

Author's note: Midterm tests are done, I get to go home tomorrow for break, and I might have found an apartment to live in for grad school. Everything is going great :) So, read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

 _3 weeks later…_

"I'm going to beat you this time!" Terra shouted as her feet pounded across the carpet. Gar was quicker though, and easily passed her. He flashed her a cheeky grin before darting around the corner. They passed Larry in the hall and he just shook his head and laughed, moving off to the side so he didn't get hit.

"Be careful!" He warned. It wasn't a strange sight; they had taken to racing each other around the manor at least once a day. And since they started, Terra hadn't won a single race. She came close, though.

Life in the manor was great. Better than before the lab, and leagues better than when they were in the lab. Gar was waiting for her at the door that led to the staircase, not a bit out of breath. They didn't race anymore from this point on, and climbed the stairs to the third floor. Cliff had mentioned showing them some sort of game, and Terra didn't want to miss out; the metal man always found the coolest things to show them. Gar didn't waste any time teasing her, signing some taunts with his hands, which Terra jokily rebutted.

Cliff had one of the big tables cleared off when they entered the room. A computer, a new one since Terra knew Steve wouldn't just give up one of his own from the office, was sitting there.

"Did you race up here?" Cliff asked. Gar smiled wider as Terra huffed.

"Yes, we passed Larry on the way."

"Well, I hope you didn't run him over. Sounded like a pair of elephants running down the halls." Before, such a comment would have made her freeze. Now, she knew the words weren't mean, just Cliff making a joke. She liked those better.

 _I won again._ Gar spelled out. The sign language was going well for him. It hadn't been a month yet, and already the boy had gotten the hang of most of the alphabet. The rest of them weren't far behind, and Chief was hopeful that Gar would have a good grasp of it in a few months. That was another thing that had changed; they didn't call the adults Mister or Misses anymore. They still respected them, and Steve had explained that the titles were more curtesy than a will to obey. Rita just wanted them to use what felt comfortable.

For now, they just used their names. As the idea of them being shipped off somewhere, or worse, kicked back out onto the streets, passed, they grew more settled in the manor. The room they shared was furnished and decorated. They had the chance to ask questions, offer their opinions, even ask for things they needed. In the lab, none of that would have been possible. Even if they did ask, Terra was sure they would have been punished.

"Of course you won," Cliff said, bringing Terra back to the present. "You got long legs, buddy, you're gonna be a star runner."

"I'm getting closer to beating him." Terra said as she sat down on one of the chairs by the table. The computer gleamed, and she wondered if Cliff had been saving this; she heard Rita mention to Steve that Cliff had been stockpiling things for them. "You could run with us, so you can get faster too!" Gar liked that idea as much as she did. He was smiling more these days.

"Maybe not me, Terra, but I think Steve wouldn't mind joining you. It'd give him a chance to get out of that dark, stuffy office."

 _Chief too. He stays there a lot_. Gar didn't like the idea of the two men spending all their time there. After he got more used to them, he'd always be the one to fetch them for meals, sometimes even dragging Steve by the hand if he didn't move fast enough. _What's with the computer?_ Cliff made sure both of them were seated before pulling up his own chair.

"Today, we're gonna have some fun." He clicked on a few keys and a game screen popped up. Terra had heard of these things, but never got the chance to play.

"How do you play?" Her eyes were fixed to the screen. The pixels looked colorful, and the music was upbeat, and she grinned when Cliff pressed the start button. The game was called _Oregon Trail_ , and Cliff let them pick the names out for the four people in the wagon. Terra named them Lucy and Guinevere, from the books Rita had been reading to her; Gar picked Gwaine and Darth Vader. Larry had been thrilled to show them the Star War's movies. She didn't like them much, but Gar loved them. Cliff typed in their choices and started the game.

This was how Rita found them several hours later, when it was lunch time, and the three of them hadn't heard the grumblings of their stomach. She leaned on the back of Terra's chair watching them play.

"I think some little humans need to get some lunch. After that, we should see if Chief needs any help outside." Gar perked up at exploring the grounds around the manor. One of the few rules was that he couldn't climb up high on anything, after scaling one of the sheds and giving Steve a heart attack thinking he would fall off it.

"We're almost done. Can't we finish up, please?" Terra asked. She was so close to having her two people last the whole time; Gar's had died in the beginning this round. Cliff looked at her and batted his eyes.

"Come on, Rita, let the kids have some fun. We'll be down in a bit." Gar even asked to finish the game, and had learned quickly that she couldn't resist his puppy dog eyes, as Larry called it.

"Alright. Do you mind if I watch then? I've never heard of this game." Terra started to explain it, with Gar helping her.

X

"They have you wrapped around their fingers." Rita commented later that night. She was making a cup of tea, and Cliff was flipping through some of their junk mail. "Should I be worried about that?"

"They've got all of us trained, Rita, I think it's a lost cause by now." Cliff said absently as he flipped through the pages of a magazine. Rita walked about and took it out of his hands.

"I'm being serious. You've been a huge help with them." The man smiled sheepishly.

"They deserve a chance to be kids, that's all, Rita." Cliff explained softly.

Chief was thinking of broaching the idea of therapy with the kids soon. Their interactions with the team were getting better, but there were moments when they would freeze and have anxiety or panic attacks; nightmares were a problem as well, and many nights one of them went to the kid's room to help calm them down. There wasn't a pattern for these attacks or dreams. Often times, they would just appear, even after what Rita would classify as a good day. Steve was on board with the idea, as was Larry; she and Cliff wanted to find the right therapist.

It was a work in progress for the time being. Rita walked over to the stove and poured the hot water into the mug.

"You're giving them that chance. When you go to see them, or invite them to do things, it makes them happy." Rita stirred in some milk and turned around to lean on the counter. "If anything, they associate you with having fun and knowing that they won't get in trouble for it."

"Any word on finding those bastards?" Cliff asked as he tossed the magazine away. Rita frowned.

"None. I think the League offered help."

Cliff scoffed at that. It wasn't that he minded working with the League, but some of them could be a bit overbearing, and he still didn't trust them anywhere near the kids. Not that Terra and Gar knew that the League existed, or was committed to helping them, that was a conversation saved for another day. Steve and Chief dealt with that, while the rest of them just waited for news. Hopefully the thugs would be caught; his mind wandered as he thought of all the horrible things he would do to them for harming the children he cared about.

"Don't make that face. It took a lot of effort for Bruce to admit that he'd been kept out of the loop. Plus, some of the members have their own charges. He gets it."

"No, he doesn't. Batman doesn't have anyone to look after. It's easier for him to say he understands." Cliff could never picture the guy who dressed entirely in black getting a kid. It was too weird. "Besides, how do we know if this isn't a ploy for them to get members. They've been tossing that younger brigade idea around for the past year or so, right?"

And wasn't that a terrifying idea; having a bunch of brats running around trying to save people. Cliff didn't want any part of it. Rita moved herself over to the couch. Cliff, after sitting there bored for a few minutes, followed her.

"You bring up the custody thing to the kids yet?"

"No, Steve wants to have all the paperwork figured out before we do anything." Rita took a sip from her mug. "He wants to start testing their abilities soon."

That was a huge mystery. None of them knew what these kids could do or how strong they were.

"Think they'd followed in our footsteps?" Cliff asked. Rita looked puzzled before she got it.

"I don't know. I'd like to say no, but many people that are classified as mutants turn out to join the crime fighting circle. At least they won't end up as criminals." Cliff nodded. It wasn't uncommon for kids with powers to end up on the wrong side. Fear was the driving factor, and those older than them were experts in gaining their trust and then exploiting them for evil. The metal man was just happy that these kids hadn't ended up in that situation.

"Come on, we need to get some rest." Rita said as she stood up. Cliff let her go and followed at his own pace. Out of habit, he peeked into the kid's room on the way to his own, and smiled when he saw the two of them curled up and sleeping. He closed the door, leaving it open a crack, and walked to his door. Sleep can a little easier to him, and Cliff didn't question it; they had learned to take it when they could get it. Morning came fast, and with it, two little bundles of energy.

X

"Maybe it would be better to ask them." Chief said. He and Steve were in the office, trying to figure out the best way to test the kid's powers. They hadn't touched on the subject since finding them, but that had been well over a month ago, and Steve didn't like leaving loose threads.

"Yes, but how do we bring it up? I don't want to trigger any attacks, not when it's been almost four days since the last one." Steve rebutted. "Maybe we should show them ours? So they can see that it's ok to have the abilities."

The one time that they had brought up asking about the range of Terra's and Gar's powers had been at the last checkup in the medbay. Chief had asked, and that set Terra off, which got Gar worried. It took a long time to get them settled, and since then all of them had avoided the topic. They knew that both kids could do things outside of an average person; finding out was going to be a struggle. It was also one that was causing interest in the League. Batman, and now The Flash and Wonder Woman, were getting curious.

"It would be in a nonthreatening manner. We can't have them think that we'd use it against them." Steve looked shocked and Chief hurried to explain. "They might think that it's an intimidation tactic. Anything we show them has to be in an explaining matter, not a combat one."

"So, showing them in the gym area is out." Steve pondered for a moment. "We could just show them. Casually do it during the day. That way we're showing them, but not drawing attention to it." The kids could observe, and make their own opinions on what their powers could do.

"That might work. We need to get the others view on it, but that could be our best option." The conversation was broken up by Steve's stomach grumbling, and he eventually set off to find some food. The kitchen was empty when he got there. He started to make some sandwiches when the doors open and he heard soft footsteps. One of the kids then. He glanced out the corner of his eye and saw Terra standing there.

"Everything alright, Terra?" He made sure to keep his voice gentle; they had learned not to yell at the kids without reason.

"I… I'm hungry." She told him softly. Her shoulders hunch, like she was ashamed for telling him. The kids had issues with asking for help at times and letting them know when they needed something. Steve smiled and gestured for her to come closer.

"Are you? Well, we can do something about that. Would you like a sandwich, or something else?" Steve didn't overwhelm her with choices. They had been getting better with letting the kids know that it was alright to make their own choices. To have opinions. It was a slow process, and they were proud of it.

"What kind of sandwich?" Terra asked. She looked suspicious, as if she didn't believe him, and Steve didn't blame her. The few times he had probed their minds, he got glimpses of memories; times where the guards would give them food, but put something wicked in it. He couldn't imagine living like that. He couldn't imagine someone treating a child in such a horrible way and still managing to sleep at night. It made him sick. "Could I pick what to make it with?" This time she asked with a bit more confidence. Steve agreed with her and Terra relaxed.

"Could I have the same kind of bread?" She pointed to the loft sitting on the counter. Steve nodded and pulled out two slices and put it on a plate in front of her. She lifted her nose at the meats, but seemed placated by the jar of peanut butter Steve offered to her. She spread it on herself; after that, Steve got himself a glass of water and Terra a glass of milk. Chief wanted them to put on a little more weight and try to make up for the vitamin deficiencies. That part would take longer to fix.

"Would you like to sit at the table or come back to the office with me and Chief?" Steve asked. Terra wavered for a moment, and Steve could tell she was interested in seeing the office, but she finally nodded her head. Hopefully the verbal answers would show up in a few more weeks. Terra trotted next to him as they made their way back to the office. She mentioned to him that Cliff was looking for a box of wires and had Gar helping him. Chief was typing away when he walked in and he smiled when Terra entered.

"I see you brought in a stray," Chief said as he pushed himself away from the computer and wheeled over to the bigger table. "Are you having fun today?"

"Yes, Rita let me help make breakfast." Terra said. She got excited when allowed to help out. Gar did too, but more to the extent that he needed to watch first, and then get involved. She frowned at the room. "You don't have any windows."

"No, I'm afraid we don't. That's one of the bad things about working in the basement." Steve answered. "Maybe it could do with some more lights."

"Like the colorful string ones!" Terra exclaimed. "Rita said there were extra ones you could use. It'd look cool in here, like a light show!" Chief humored her, asking what color the lights were, and Steve was more than content to watch the interaction. Lunch passed by pleasantly. Chief announced that he needed to get back to work, as did Steve. The man picked up the dishes and told Chief that he'd dump the plates in the kitchen and bring Terra back to the others. The girl took one more look around the room before following Steve out the door.

It was almost twenty minutes before Steve came back. He had two coffee cups in his hands, and he made sure the doors were shut after he walked through them.

"Terra insisted we have more coffee. I think she's taking after Rita with mothering us." Steve said as he put Chief's mug down near the computer mouse.

"She seemed pretty comfortable here. It's nice to see her opening up. Though, I don't think I'll be able to talk her out of the string lights idea." Chief replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "Ah, a fresh cup. Nothing better, Steve."

"Now, who's the one addicted to the drink again?"

"Don't start. I know if we cut you open, coffee beans would come out, not blood." Steve blinked at him.

"Well, that's just stupid. Cliff would tell you that I don't have any blood to spill." Chief chuckled at that.

"Alright, let's get to work. I have a feeling that Terra is going to enlist others to get us out of this room." Steve could already picture it; Terra using the others to get her way. Hell, Gar could probably just look at them and they would agree. They were whipped.


	6. Nevermore

Author's Note: I know it's been a while since I posted. I ran into a bit of writers block, and then school decided to dump papers and grad school registration on me. But, there's a giant snow storm going on, so no school means I can catch up on writing. Also, someone asked if the chapter titles had anything to do with the story. They don't but I thought it would be cool to call them that instead of numbers. And yes, the titans will be in this story, just not for a while. So, read, review, and enjoy! And if you're in the New England area, stay safe in this storm!

* * *

Technically, Gar knew he wasn't breaking any of the rules. After all, the only ones in place so far were that he couldn't leave the manor by himself, and the office was off limits. That was fine with him; the office was boring, and being outside, with strangers, tended to make him nervous. Besides, there were lots of cool places to explore inside, and he always found the best hiding spots. Tonight, however, he wasn't playing any games. He couldn't sleep, and Terra hadn't woken up when he crept out, so he supposed he was on his own right now.

The halls were bathed in shadow, and Gar didn't have any trouble finding his way around. At night, he could see everyone before they saw him, so he didn't fear the dark. Gar couldn't explain it; much like he couldn't explain to Terra how he could hear far better than she could. He hoped that he wouldn't have to try and explain it here. Right now, that didn't matter. There were some older rooms that he hadn't seen yet, so that's where he was heading. Skipping the elevator, he took the stairs, and his footsteps barely made any noise as he went up.

No one was up here. A few of the emergency lights were on, but the shades to the windows were closed. Gar peeked his head into some of the first rooms, disappointed when there wasn't anything in them. It made no sense to have a house this big if they weren't going to fill it up. Maybe they were trying but couldn't find the time. Larry said it was great that he and Terra had come along, it meant that they could have a break from missions. Larry never said what those missions were or what happened on them.

The third room actually had stuff in it. There was an old bedframe, no mattress, and some dressers. He started opening the drawers, not finding anything, until the last one. There was some kind of book in it. It was in another language, which didn't interest him if he couldn't use it, but the pictures were nice to look at. He set it aside. The closets were bare and the drapes didn't want to move off the window. Finally content with his exploring, Gar took his new book and left the room. That's when he heard the footsteps.

Larry was waiting outside the room. That's why he didn't hear the footsteps; Larry's were softer than the others. He was still picking up on all the differences in the adults. Cliff's were the heaviest. Sometimes he wanted to tell them those kinds of things, but he didn't. It felt nice to have a secret. One that wasn't going to hurt anyone.

"Having fun exploring?" He asked. Gar blushed, and nodded. He held out the book for Larry to see. "Did you find this?"

 _In the drawer. Does it belong to anyone?_

"I don't think it does, Gar." Larry replied.

 _So, I can keep it?_

"You can. Now, I think a certain someone needs to be in bed. But, since you've had such an adventure exploring, we can make some hot chocolate first, and then try going back to sleep." Excited with that idea, Gar nodded, and followed Larry back down to the kitchen. Steve was sitting at the table, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw them.

"It's a little late for anyone under 30 to be up." He commented. Larry shrugged.

"We've got an explorer. I figured he should be rewarded for mapping out the manor, Steve."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked. Gar crept forward and showed him the book.

 _I couldn't sleep. One of the rooms had this in it._ Steve waited patiently for him to finish signing. Rita assured him that he would get quicker with it, even if he stumbled over the motions or used a wrong letter. Chief was thrilled with how far he had gotten in the past month or so of learning sign language.

"This looks old. It might have been Chief's at one point."

 _Should I give it back to him?_ He was always worried of overstepping the boundaries.

Slowly, he was gaining things that were his. He had clothes, and toys, and Cliff had even shown him a mini tool box that he could use when he helped the metal man work on the jet! The only time he could remember having things like this were back with his parents. That was a long time ago. Sensing his change in mood, Steve gently pulled him closer and lightly hugged him.

"It's ok, Gar, you don't have to worry about it. I'm sure Chief would be more than happy to share it with you." Steve rubbed circles into his back.

That was another thing that he didn't imagine ever having again. It had taken a long time before he felt comfortable accepting comfort from any of the adults. Terra was still hesitant, but he wasn't. Each time they offered a hug, they have given it. There was no lie or ruse with it.

 _Can I ask him tomorrow?_

"Sure, Gar." Larry came over and place two mugs of hot chocolate on the table. Gar hadn't even noticed him making them. "Now, how about we go sit on the couch and drink this, then we all go to bed. We wouldn't want Rita to yell at us tomorrow, would we?"

Gar giggled. Rita liked to make sure that everyone was getting enough rest. Steve let him sit in the middle of them, and Larry found some old show on the television. It was about a rocket, which sounded cool enough, and soon he found himself getting tired. Larry moved him so he was leaning on his chest; the bandages were soft against his face.

"I think it's time for bed, Larry. You got him?"

"Ya, you go on. I'll make sure the kids are settled." Larry stood up with him.

The walk back to the room didn't register for him; suddenly, Larry was gently putting him back on his bed. Terra didn't wake up, and Larry smiled at her.

"Good night, Gar." Larry said softly. He waited until both kids were still before leaving the room. He double backed to prop up the book on the side table, knowing Gar would want to see it when he woke up. Leaving the door open a crack, he walked down to his own room. That night wasn't the last time that any of the kids decided to walk around late at night.

X

Rita made sure she didn't get disillusioned when she saw how well the kids were doing. On the surface, they were thriving, but there was still a long way to go. For starters, Terra and Gar were still facing some health issues, still suffered from sudden anxiety or panic attacks, and didn't want to talk about their powers. Steve was trying to be patient, and she loved him for that. There was only so much longer they could put this off. Which was what they were doing today. The kids had never seen the inside of the gym before.

Terra was all over the gear, dragging Gar alongside her, with Cliff keeping an eye on them. All of them were a bit stressed, not knowing how this would end. Steve cleared his throat.

"Alright kids, I need you to go sit with Chief right now."

"Do you really use all this stuff?" Terra asked. "There's no way you can lift those weights."

"Cliff does." Larry said as he hoisted her onto the table where Chief was.

"So, what do you use?" The bandaged man smirked.

"You'll see." Steve laughed at the pout on her face. Gar laughed beside her.

It had taken a few tries to getting the kids into the gym. Terra was keen on seeing the room, always wanting to her hands-on things, but Gar tended to explore at his own pace. There were few places left in the manor that hadn't been explored by him. Larry was sitting next to them on the mats. It had taken him a little bit longer to warm up to the kids. Rita shooed him along, firmly intending to make the men go through their normal exercise routine. She wanted to be the tell the kids about this training simulation.

"I thought that we could try something different today." Rita started out. "We practice in here most days. All of us, with the exception of Cliff, have supernatural abilities." She waited to see how it sat with the kids. Terra was patently waiting for her to continue. Gar was looking at all of them, eyes jumping from person to person. "Chief asked you once, when you first came here, what your abilities were. I think that talking about this would make it a little easier for you."

"They wanted us to use it. They yelled at us if we didn't." Terra whispered. She kept her eyes on her lap. Gar looked pale.

"Terra, we aren't the people that hurt you. We want to help, but we need to know what you can and go from there." She paused as her mind scrambled for some sort of connection. Then it hit her. "Do you remember in those games you play, you need to build up your skills to get better at the level? This is like this. Your powers aren't something to hide, they can help keep you safe." Gar fidgeted, and it took her a moment to see the letters.

 _No, they don't. It's dangerous to use them. I won't hurt anyone like that again._

"Sweetie," Rita said. She reached out to him, but he flinched away so violently, and she quickly pulled her hand back. "Gar, no one will get hurt. This is why we brought you to this room, so you wouldn't hurt yourself or anyone else. That's what it's designed for." Terra moved closer to him and positioned herself between her and Gar. It was a defensive move, one that had occurred since the beginning. Rita didn't know how things had gone so wrong, or how to fix it.

"Is everything ok?" Cliff asked as he came over. He was smiling, but that dropped off his face once he saw the state of them. "What happened?"

"We don't want to use them. Please, don't make us, we'll be good." Terra chanted. Her voice cracked, and Rita could see the beginnings of a panic attack. Cliff noticed too, and with an ease no one else could, picked the kids up and walked out of the room. Rita watched the three leave, helpless to do anything, and so very confused as to why the kids panicked over their powers.

X

At a loss, Rita retreated to their bedroom. Steve found her eventually. He didn't say anything as he sat down beside her; the bed dipped, and she leaned into him.

"I scared them."

"We knew that there were some issues surrounding their abilities. When they're ready, we can find out what's scaring them so much and help them." Steve said. "If it helps, Cliff calmed them down. Gar was asking about you."

"I sent Terra into a panic attack. She was doing so well." She felt the beginnings of a sob creep up. Steve pulled her into his chest.

"You didn't know. We knew that we'd have to talk about this at some point." Steve pressed a kiss to her hair line. "You didn't do it on purpose. Now, we're going to sit here until you're a little calmer, then we're going to see our kids. Once everyone feels better, I think we should make some dinner, and then watch some crappy movie that Cliff and Larry will complain about." Rita laughed despite herself. Steve was never this way, acting all cute and concerned, when other people could see it. This was her favorite side to see on him.

"They said that they didn't want to get hurt. Like I would punish them if they didn't show their abilities." Rita could still picture, with perfect clarity, how scared Terra looked. How pale Gar was. Steve rubbed her back. He couldn't think of anything to say. Whatever happened in that lab was still there, and no amount of reassuring the kids was going to fix it. Maybe it was a good idea to start bringing up the idea of therapy. The kids had been here almost three months. They needed to get some long-term help, start the complicated healing process.

"There's a good chance that they used scare tactics to keep them in line. It'd be normal for them to say no." Steve frowned. "I thought they might feel safer if they saw us practicing. That it would show them it was alright. I seem to have misjudged the situation."

"All of us did. Please tell me that it wasn't a full-scale attack." Since the kids were so young, Chief didn't want to seek out medication for them. The only thing they could do was calm them down and ride out the aftershocks. "She almost made it a full week."

"It wasn't. Actually, Gar managed to calm her down pretty quick. Cliff was there, and both of them trust him to be around them when they're feeling scared." Steve put a finger under her chin and lifted her head. "They're ok, Rita, and they want to see you. Plus, I think all of you need some TLC." She laughed at the corny line. Steve had a sense of humor, it was just buried beneath layers of sternness.

"Ok, let's go see our kids. Lord knows what Cliff is using to make them feel better."

"I think he mentioned baking something."

"Hopefully Larry is with him. We don't need him burning down the kitchen." Rita muttered. They walked back to the living room. As Steve had said, Cliff was in the kitchen. Gar was seated on the counter, helping him hold the mixing bowl and occasionally handing him things. Terra was near Larry, and she smiled when Rita came in. Without waiting, she hurried over to her, and hugged her around the legs.

"I'm sorry I scared you." Terra said. Rita knelt down, fully allowing the girl to settle into her arms instead of her knees.

"It wasn't your fault, Terra."

Rita is beginning to hate that term, the words 'I'm sorry', because every time something goes wrong, or one of the kids gets scared, that's the first thing they say. Half the time they apologize for something outside of their control. It's a habit Rita wants to end; that will be a battle for another day. She scoops Terra up, the girl weighing nothing. Maybe the brownies aren't just for comfort.

"Cliff said you didn't know about," Terra paused and Rita hugged her tighter. "About the lab. That means it isn't either of our fault. No one is wrong, right?"

Terra had leaned around her to look at Cliff. He was facing them, one hand holding the mixing bowl, then other helping Gar stir. He looked up and smiled.

"That's right. It wasn't anyone's fault. Now, both of you need to get into some comfier clothes. You're too overdressed for a movie marathon." After shooing them out of the kitchen, Rita allowed herself to relax. Terra kept up a steady stream of chatter, and then pulled her to the bedroom she shared with Steve, and then dragged her back to the kitchen. By now, the brownies were in the oven.

They start out with a string of Disney movies, quickly bypassing _The Fox and the Hound_ and _Dumbo._ Terra likes _Mulan_ , and _The Jungle Book_ is a hit with Gar, but after four kid's films, the adults are more than ready for something more mature. They settled on some older films, _Abbot and Castelo_ , and then a mild Western that has more age appropriate jokes that fly over the kid's heads. Each time they switch out of the discs, the kids pick a new person to cuddle up with. Larry has Gar this time; Terra ended back up with Rita.

"I'm going to make a call for some therapists tomorrow." Rita stops talking when Terra shifts in her lap. After a few seconds, she starts again. "They need to talk about what they dealt with. If nothing else, it'll help address and identify their triggers." Steve doesn't look surprised at this. She knows he probably has a list all ready to go. She wouldn't expect anything less from her husband.

"Should they have the appointments here? Or somewhere else. I know we've been keeping them under the radar, but we can't compromise the security here at the manor." Larry says.

"Maybe someone familiar with our situation would work." Cliff throws out. Steve frowns.

"With what, traumatized kids?" Cliff shakes his head and carefully leans back.

"No, with people in the hero area. Maybe we could get someone like that in here. It'd make explaining everything easier, and they'd be familiar with all our security questions." It's not a bad idea. It would save them a lot of time, but finding someone like that might take a bit longer. "Look, I know it might make things a bit more difficult, but if it makes life for the kids easier, it'll be worth it."

"Alright," Steve said. He stood up, back cracking, before getting some of the lights. "I'll start looking tomorrow. Might take a little longer. We should start talking to them about it, might make it less of a shock for them." They drift off to their rooms quickly after that, her and Cliff walking in tandem in an effort to keep their charges asleep. Terra clings to her for a moment, before relaxing and curling around Gar.

"Can we really do this?" She asks. Cliff waits for her to continue. "Can we care for them?"

"Sure, we're superheroes, right?"


	7. Switched

Author's note: So, this was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I honestly couldn't get any work done. With that, read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Today is the day. After three and a half weeks of looking, calling, and talking, they finally found a psychologist that matches all their criteria. Her name is Maria, and she's worked with several mutant populations; that words is slowly becoming more acceptable, even if it's only in certain circles. Steve and Chief ask her question after question, Rita grills her, and Larry and Cliff make sure that if she harms the kids then there will be hell to pay. The only ones still not sold on the idea are Gar and Terra. That had been an even longer conversation.

"You said we weren't going to see another doctor!" Terra cries. She's not shaking, which is an improvement, but her body language is screaming that she's dangerously close to an attack. Gar is next to her, glaring at them all, and that hurts them the most, that he views this as a betrayal.

 _You said Chief was treating us._ The man in the wheelchair winces, and then he draws back when he sees that touching the boy isn't wanted at the moment.

"You're right. I am treating you, Gar, but I can't help you with the emotional and mental trauma."

Steve knows that the words hurt Chief more than he'd be willing to admit. It had taken a long time for the kids to let him do his job, even longer before they started to willingly provide information on when they were hurt or didn't feel well. He doesn't want to think about how far this will set them back.

"You said that we were getting better." Terra whispers. Her voice shakes and Gar looks at her in concern. When Cliff goes to comfort her, Gar moves his hand away.

"Terra, this doctor can help you more than I can."

 _How? You never said you couldn't help us. Now you're saying that you can't._ Gar's fingers move furiously, the only indication of how angry his is. Terra is curled into him, and after he batted Cliff away, none of them have made a move to touch them. Steve wants nothing more than to drop this conversation, but it's important, and they need to get their kids all the help they can.

"Gar, this doctor can help you with the anxiety and panic attacks. Maybe even help you with the nightmares. Chief can help you with the physical pain, not mental."

 _You said they were under control. And everyone has nightmares._ His boy, and yes, they had always been a bit possessive of the kids, had expressive eyes that stared into your soul.

"Everyone had nightmares, you're right. But you never talk about them, and maybe if you did it would make them less scary." Steve knelt down in front of Gar, which was hard to do with the coffee table in the way. "She could give you tips on how to work through an attack. Maybe, when you're older, she can discuss more adult ways to help cope with them."

"We have to keep seeing her?" Terra hissed. And, ok, Steve didn't know how this conversation had gone wrong so fast. Larry, finally deciding that enough was enough, walked over so he was in front of the kids.

"Look, this isn't meant to hurt you. This lady has a job that is designed to help you. So, you're gonna go to the first appointment. If you don't like it, we can stop. But, if you do end up liking it, we'll stick with it." Larry waited until they were both looking at him again. "If you want, we can ask her if one of us can go in with you."

The argument went on for a little longer, until they reached the agreement that one of them would be going in with them. The current situation was who had that privilege; the woman, Maria, said she wanted to talk to the kids separately. Even today, as they were driving to a secure location, they didn't know who was going to be sitting through this hour. Terra was still angry, and refused to answer any of their questions. Gar, thankfully, wasn't as mad. He only responded to Cliff, who they assumed would be his pick.

There wasn't anyone in the waiting room, and Maria met them from behind the desk.

"Good morning!" She chirped. "I hope the drive wasn't too long for you? I know you wanted a secure place, and this was the closest one." She said apologetically. Steve waved her off.

"It was no trouble. We've traveled further in the past." He gestured to the kids. "This is Gar." Maria offered a tiny wave, but other than peeked out from Cliff's leg, he didn't acknowledge her. "And, this is Terra." The girl glared and pointedly looked away from Maria.

Rita offered a sympathetic smile to Maria. The woman didn't seem bothered. She grabbed some papers and handed them off to Steve.

"I know we talked about seeing them in separate sessions. I think that since this is their first time, seeing them together might be easier. You mentioned how they would want someone in the room, right?" Maria asked. Cliff raised a hand.

"That'd be me. It was the only way we could get them to agree."

"We're right here, you know." Terra grumbled. The girl was seeing this a form of mutiny. She had tried her best to get out of coming, from acting sick to actually hiding. Thankfully Gar hadn't acted out so hard, merely ignoring them for the more part. That wasn't much better.

"Hey, we talked about this." Larry reminded her. "Now, Miss Maria isn't here to hurt you. She wants to help, and the only way she can do that is if you work with her, not against her." Cliff took a hand from each kid and followed Maria about the desk and into of the side rooms. She came back out to hand Steve some more forms.

"I know you probably don't have all the information, such as family history, but anything you can provide would be go." Maria said. "Since they're minors, I'll share what I learn with you. If there are any glaring problems, then you'll be immediately notified."

"What kind of problems?" Larry questioned. Maria didn't flinch.

"Any self-harm indicators, or suicidal tendencies. I wish I could say that these aren't common with trauma cases, but that's what comes up." She passed Steve a pen from the desk. "I probably won't get much from them since it's their first time. The best we can do it be patient and understanding."

Rita paled when Maria talked about the potential of suicide and self-harm; Larry immediately reassured her. When there weren't any more questions, at the moment, Maria left them to go start the session. With nothing to do other than wait, the three of them picked a chair and settled it. Larry flipped idly through an old magazine, Rita alternated between the clock and the door, Steve went through and filled out the forms. The silence seemed to last forever. Several times, one of them would get up and try to see if there was anything coming behind the door, but there was nothing.

X

Gar knew he could probably leave the room if he wanted. Cliff had failed to shut the door all the way, and while he knew that the others were in the waiting room, Gar was confident that he could slip by them. Terra was sitting beside him on the couch, glaring at the chair where Miss Maria would sit, ignoring all attempts by Cliff to get her to talk.

"Alright, now that the adults are satisfied, let's get started." Miss Maria announced. She shut the door and sat down, smiling at them. Terra looked away.

"Now, I know that Steve mentioned that this might be a little scary for you." She began.

"Are you going to make us tell you everything?" Terra asked, her voice so full of hate that even Gar flinched. Miss Maria didn't seem fazed; if anything, she looked sad.

"No, Terra, I'm not going to force you to tell me anything. If you feel like it, you can sit here the entire hour and just glared at me." She brushed her hair back. "This is a safe space for you to talk about anything you want to. It doesn't have to be about what happened."

Terra didn't look convinced. Cliff held back a cry of frustration. None of them could force the kids to talk about this, but sooner or later, they would need to. Terra's panic attack had started to increase in frequency and that last few nightmares Gar had was bad enough that either Cliff or Larry had spent the night by his side.

 _Then what will we talk about?_ Gar signed. Miss Maria frowned and Cliff rubbed his shoulder.

"He wants to know what you'll talk about if they aren't ready." He translated. Curling up a bit, he wished he still had his voice. Chief had said that it was unlikely he would ever recover from the surgery, so he had to make do with sign language. It was fun, for the most part, until he ran into someone who didn't understand it. Miss Maria smiled at him.

"We can talk about anything. It could be about how you like living with the Doom Patrol, or something you enjoy doing." Terra relaxed a bit from her spot. "I always tell my clients that the first session isn't meant to talk about the big things. I usually have them talk to be about themselves, or the things they enjoy."

"So, if I liked pottery, we could talk about pottery?" Terra asked.

"Do you like pottery, Terra?"

"No."

"What do you think to do then?" She held Terra's gaze.

"I like playing games from Cliff and Gar." Terra looked down at her hands. "Or helping Rita in the kitchen. Sometimes Chief lets me help with the filing."

"That sounds cool. What kind of games do you play?" And just like that, everyone was talking. Gar didn't even realize that the hour was done.

"It was nice to meet you." Miss Maria said. "Do you think you might want to come in again?"

Terra looked at him. It was easy to talk without actually speaking, and Cliff and Miss Maria waited patiently.

"I think we could meet again." Terra said stiffly. It wasn't a full approval, but she wasn't yelling this time. They were led out of the room. Rita swooped in, pulling them both into a hug.

"Are you ok? Did it go well?" She asked quickly. Deciding that he was done with listening to the grown-ups talk. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face into her side. Rita instantly curled an arm around his shoulders.

"They both did well." She took the forms from Steve. "I asked them if they felt comfortable coming in for another session, and they said yes." There was more talk about paper work, which was boring, and then Cliff and Larry were leading them outside.

"Is it always going to be like that?" Terra asked.

"Like what?" Cliff helped her buckle in.

"With her asking all those questions."

"Maybe. It's her job to find out what's bothering you and how to fix it." Larry told her.

 _She seemed nice. Stop being rude about her._ Gar said to her. Terra frowned.

"She was asking about everything. It was weird."

 _Larry just said that's her job. At least she isn't demanding we tell her._ He still got nervous when someone asked him lots of questions. Steve said it would get better with time; the problem was that Gar wasn't all that patient.

"Ok, how about you two discuss it with Larry about what we're going to do about lunch. I'll go fetch the parents." Gar frowned as Cliff left their group. Rita and Steve weren't his parents, and they certainly weren't Terra's either.

His frown remained there for the rest of the drive home. When they got back to manor, he didn't follow them into the ground floor, choosing to go to the room he and Terra shared. He didn't like the assume that just because they were taking care of them that they could step in as parents. Not guardians, Galtry had been awful at that, but beyond that Gar was sure that he didn't want anyone else to fill in that role. His parents were the best, and he was angry that someone had decided to come in and take their place.

His mood didn't improve. There was a window ledge in the room, one that gave a great view of the west side of the house, and he liked to study the landscape outside. When Cliff came to take him to lunch, he told him he wasn't hungry. After a couple of tries, Cliff let the issue go, and told him that if he changed his mind that he could join them, and that his lunch would be put aside for later. Gar wrapped his arms around his legs and stared outside. He didn't want to be angry at the adults.

It was dark by the time Cliff came back. Frowning, the man walked over and sat down on the other side of the bench.

"You feeling ok, bud?" Cliff sounded worried. Not in the mood to sign, or really knowing how to articulate what he was feeling, Gar simply shrugged.

"Terra stumbled on some old parts in the garage. She says we should try to make something out of it; I could put together some bikes for you two. Get you running around outside." Gar didn't respond. "Kiddo, what's going on? Did something happen? Did you have an attack?"

Gar shook his head. Leaning against the window frame, Gar avoided looking at Cliff. He didn't want to talk, or do anything. There was movement on the other end of the bench, and then he was being pulled into Cliff's arms. It was hard for all the metal to fit on the small seat, but Gar didn't feel trapped; he just felt safe.

"Is today just a bad day?" He asked gently. Gar's fingers traced the seams where the metal had been welded. He nodded his head one more time. Cliff curled up around him, sometimes giving him short hugs.

At some point he drifted into a light sleep. He kept his eyes closed, and felt Cliff move when the door opened.

"I figured you ran off here." Larry said.

"Keep your voice down." Cliff whispered. A hand rubbed the back of his head, smoothing the hair down. "I'm staying here with him."

"I wasn't going to suggest that you leave. I just like keeping tabs on everyone." There were footsteps, and Gar thought Larry was leaving, but he came back and then something soft was draped over him. "Is he ok? Terra's worried."

"My guess is that it's just a bad day." That made him all the more frustrated. He didn't want to tell them the real reason why he was upset, and this was the first time that he wasn't actively telling anyone why he felt bad.

"Is it because of the session? I know Maria said she didn't want to get into the heavy stuff right off the bat-"

"No, I think it might have got him thinking. Give a heads up to the others. Crowding him probably isn't the best idea."

"Terra's going to come right away."

"Let her. She knows him better than us, Larry."

Terra wouldn't know about this. He hadn't told her much about his parents, other than the obvious fact of them not being here, or how they died. He didn't like talking about it. Cliff adjusted him and his face ended up pressed against a metal shoulder. Larger hands played with his hair. He'd heard some of them talking, usually when him and Terra were supposed to asleep, about diagnosing them. Some of the terms he didn't understand, like something called PTSD, but depression and denial seemed to be thrown around a lot. Every time they talked about it, Rita cried.

Those times he hated. Rita didn't force them to talk about it. Terra had been asked more than him, but whenever that happened, she reacted so poorly to it. Perhaps that was why they were pushing the whole therapy idea. When he finally decided to open his eyes, Larry was gone, and the room was dark. Someone had turned on the lamp in the corner of the room. Cliff leaned down to press a kiss to his head.

"Feeling a little better?" He asked softly. This time, he signed yes. Cliff looked relieved at that. "Good, you hungry, little man?"

Not really, but if he said no again he knew that there would be more people involved. Chief was insistent on getting them on a regular eating schedule, and he tended to get angry when something threw off their eating habits. He nodded, and Cliff stood up. Instead of setting him down, like Gar figured he would do, Cliff put the blankets down and continued to hold him. Gar wasn't surprised; since accepting more human contact, Cliff had been scooping him up for hugs or piggy back rides. He tapped out patterns on the metal plates as they walked forward.

Rita and Chief were there when they walked in. Terra, he found out later, was enlisting Larry on some adventure, and Steve had to make some phone calls. Squirming out of Cliff's arms, he took up his usual seat, and allowed Cliff to fuss over him. He could feel Rita's eyes on him, but he didn't look at her. That night, when Terra was wide awake next to him, she forced him to talk about it.

"Steve said to give you space."

 _I like being with you. I just didn't feel like talking._

"They want us to talk a lot, don't they?"

Gar couldn't help but agree.


End file.
